A New Hero
by Platinumsabr
Summary: The Rosary of Judgment; Belmont; the headmaster of Youkai Academy has many items legendary in their very being. One he found he couldn't open, so it stayed, forgotten, in the depths of the school. During a pivotal conflict, one student unlocks the secret.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rosario+Vampire, or Ben 10, nor do I make any money from the writing of this story. Simple enough, ne? Just don't copy from this story and we're all good! Rated for violence, maybe more later on.

Just to let you all know, a lot of the speaking is taken directly from chapter ten of the R+V manga, with a few alterations. This was intentional, but I still don't own the manga itself (duh). If this turns into anything, this first chapter will be the only point in which I do that.

Heavy crossover elements, but not really a crossover, so I left it here. Hope you enjoy!

…

**A New Hero**

Human.

That's what they called him. Spit like a curse, like the word itself was confusing to their very existence. In a way, it was. They were monsters. Youkai. They simply weren't human, and that's all there was to it. He had known that he had to keep the fact that he was human secret, but never had he thought he would be condemning his only friends to death once it came out. Now he had been apprehended by a gang that fancied themselves the academy's police force, and worse yet they had arrested Moka as well, even though technically all she had done was defend their lives.

Moka Akashiya. His first friend in a new and lonely place, one that took on whole new dimensions of that description when he found out that among an entire school, not one other person was a full-blooded human. Naturally, that meant _she_ wasn't human either, and it was just his luck that she happened to be the most powerful one he could have run into, except for maybe the administrators. She was a Vampire, and not only that but the seal that helped keep her power hidden also resulted in a split to her personality. Outer Moka was kind, cheerful, and a pacifist for the most part, while Inner Moka was jaded, cold, and not afraid to destroy anything beneath her. They were both the same person, he knew that, there were too many things alike between them to be anything but. His feelings for her had always been hard because of that, but he knew when it came right down to it, it just didn't matter. Moka was Moka.

He didn't know if that would matter in a little while. He was human, so human it wasn't even funny. Hell, he was the most average of humans when he had come to the academy; it was his mediocre grades that made it necessary in the first place! But he couldn't leave Moka's side, even if he was allowed to do otherwise, even if the pain making it hard to force the next breath into his lungs were to suddenly disappear and an escape route miraculously formed in front of him. She had protected him, the lowly human, her very first friend, through things that proved how rare a commodity _normalcy_ was. She had stayed by his side through the intervention of a Succubus, the adoration of a genius Witch, and the perverted tendencies of a club president, who happened to be among another species of the ridiculously high-ranked. _He_ was a Werewolf.

Yukari had spells, magical artifacts, and all manner of other things to fall back on even though she was only eleven thanks to her heritage as a witch; Kurumu was literally sex appeal personified, not counting her own destructive and seductive powers as a Succubus; Gin's lineage as a Werewolf made him one of the most dangerous beings in the school, with speed listed among the absurd even for monsters; and finally, Moka, the Vampire, the ones hailed as immortal, peerless in power, legendary enough to be granted the feared title of S-class.

And now, because of him, their lives were in mortal peril.

Standing before them was hellfire incarnate, a Sprit Fox's idealized form meant exclusively for battle. Gin had already braved his flames once to save them, and just like that he was down for the count. Kurumu was no match for him, and Yukari would be nothing but kindling if she so much as tried. Only Moka could truly outmatch him, and yet the only one who could release her rosario—_him_—could barely even see, let alone grab the seal dangling from her choker.

It was only thanks to the self-preservation instincts inherent in every living thing that forced him to jump away from the flames heading his way, but he was only human, and had never taken a self-defense course in his life. Dodging the ensuing kick was therefore impossible for him, and he was sent rocketing through the hole in the wall created when the first fires had missed. Some part of him heard the cries of his name from his friends as he bounced painfully along the ground, but with every other part crying out its anguish he couldn't be sure it wasn't just a figment of his imagination. Sadly, it was proved real when the vibrations in the floor alerted him to another crash in the room, quickly followed by another, and though every muscle in his body fought against doing so, he was able to turn his head to see the result. Seeing hazy images of Kurumu struggling to stand and Yukari lying motionless amidst a pile of overturned items brought pain to his heart greater than any pain he had experienced so far. That too was quickly beaten when a pink-haired body was thrown to the ground beside him, and still she looked at him with nothing but trust.

"Fools. Maggots and fools, the lot of you! None of you are a match for me!" Kuyou roared as he strode into the room. "It would seem I've accidentally shown you the room we keep all the contraband in...just in case, you know. It seems fitting you would end up here."

While one of his statements was indeed true, unknown to any of them, even the head of the Student Police himself, was that though the room was used to store 'contraband' of a sort, it had been in use for far longer than he had been in school, in fact it had merely been commandeered when the building had been granted to the disciplinary committee. Not all the items were contraband, nor were all of them taken from students. One such item had rolled away from the stands Yukari had knocked askew in her fall, a metal orb no bigger than a basketball, where it stopped right before Moka. It went unnoticed in what followed.

Gathering the last of his strength, Tsukune shouted, "Wait! We've lost, we'll apologize for everything! I'll confess everything about myself to the school, and accept any official punishment you give me! So...so please forgive us, please at least let everyone else live...! They're my friends; whether they're monsters or humans, they're all very special to me, so please...if you could just spare everyone else I'll take whatever punishment you want..."

He didn't care if he died, not anymore. He had always been average, mediocre, nothing special, but now, just maybe he might be of some worth. If the sacrifice of his measly existence would keep his friends in the land of the living, he would do it gladly.

Fighting through her own pain, Moka looked at him in nothing short of terror. "Tsu...Tsukune..."

Kuyou actually deemed him worth a look that wasn't filled with utter contempt. "_Hmph_, admirable, for a human. You've touched my heart a little. Then let it be. I will spare their lives in consideration for your courage..." Tsukune looked up hopefully, only to witness his persecutor's face warp with depraved amusement. "Did you really think I would say that? What do you mean, 'friend'? Human friendship is so superficial it makes me sick! Foolish human, just be quiet and watched your comrades suffer."

Tsukune had never experienced clarity like the kind that came over him when he saw the blue fire racing towards Moka. For that tiny, insignificant amount of time, nothing else mattered; not him, not his powerlessness, not the entire world. But her, his friends, _they_ mattered. Kuyou had obviously never dealt with human friendship before, otherwise he wouldn't have been so quick to belittle it. There was only one choice Tsukune Aono could make, and make it he did, with no hesitation.

His body moved despite the pain and tiredness, resisted the urge that wanted him to close his eyes for just a moment, and propelled itself into what would surely be his end. As the flames engulfed him the teen smiled, for light glittered from a silver cross right in his path. As he fell, blackened and burned, onto the previously ignored orb, Tsukune smiled, for the silver cross laid in his hand. As he lay dying, the young man smiled and couldn't help but think, _I'm no hero, but I'll always be your friend. Finally, I was able to protect you too...Moka-san..._

Only the explosion of Youki from her transformation shortened the vampiress' agonized scream.

And below him, Tsukune felt, more than heard the words, **[Password Accepted.]**

With nothing to keep gravity from pulling him down, Tsukune rolled limply to the side of the ball when it opened, tearing off skin that had melted to its surface in the process. If Tsukune's nerves had been able to feel that he wouldn't have kept quiet, but if they had been able to feel anything in the first place they would have already notified him of the pieces of clothes fused to his burnt flesh. He did feel something though, a curiously fluid something that crawled over the body parts still hanging over the orb until ultimately affixing itself to his left wrist.

**[Startup sequence initiated. Beginning default procedures...done. Proceed? YES/NO?]**

Trapped in his mind and wondering if this was what death felt like, Tsukune absentmindedly chose YES. He was startled by the sound of alarms that came immediately after.

**[WARNING! Bearer health at critical levels! Initiating emergency startup procedures! Progress: Twenty-Five Percent...]**

_What's going on?_

**[Progress: Forty Percent...]**

_Am I dead?_

...

The true vampiress, the red-eyed Moka Akashiya looked down on the broken body of her friend with barely-restrained tears.

_**The idiot! That goddamn...noble...idiot!**_

He wasn't breathing, he was charred and his blackened skin was already cracking at being exposed to the air. If things continued any longer, Tsukune Aono would die.

And she couldn't allow that to happen, she just couldn't!

It was a risk, it was taboo, but there was no way in hell she wasn't going to try it!

Lifting him into her arms, she could care less about the blood and secretions dirtying her uniform. More than just his body was in her hands, his life was as well. As her fangs met his neck, only one thing came to mind. _**Tsukune...forgive me...**_

The deed done, she set him carefully to the floor, and with a quick explanation to her...friends...barred her teeth with full malice at the one who had caused his condition.

_**"Beware. You should prepare yourself. If Tsukune's life is not saved...I will rip your heart from your chest...AND CRUSH IT WITH MY OWN HANDS!"**_

...

Again, the alarms sounded.

**[WARNING! Genetic override in progress! Host DNA compromising! Unknown power source detected! Power surge imminent! Initi—defa—otocol—!]**

Unwatched, the black and silver wristband started buzzing madly at the infusion of foreign energy into its system, even as it was flooding Tsukune's with its own. Sparks of crimson flew as alien science met the birthright of demons, and the jade dais at its head began spinning chaotically as it flickered between green and red intermittently.

**[WArn—! PosSiBLe DaTA cOrru—]**

In a snap, all klaxons stopped blaring. Outside of his mind, the wristband had shrunk to the size of a small watch, and the effects were obvious. The black band had remained unchanged and tiny metallic tubes still led to the faceplate, but the screen itself had turned red as blood, and the dial had warped, spinning veins of scarlet and silver around the screen. The fight had been fought, and neither party had come out wholly victorious.

**[Bearer integrity critical, genetic override acceptable. Updating default...done. Systems operating at beyond optimal levels. Damage minimal. Proceed? YES/NO?]**

He had come this far, might as well see it through.

The pain that accompanied that choice was unexpected at that point.

**[Resuming. Progress: Sixty-Five Percent...]**

...

"No! Something feels weird...Moka doesn't have her usual overwhelming power...!" Kurumu yelled frantically as she and the bruised Yukari stared at the fight unfolding in front of them.

The vampiress was obviously fighting as hard as she could, but compared to her earlier performances, the Youko was almost completely unscathed. He took great joy in that too.

"Is that it? Where is this so-called Super Vampire? It isn't working on me now is it?"

Gritting her teeth, Moka could only hope her gamble paid off. _**"No, this is the second problem... As I have given a large amount of the blood within me, that is the source of power for a vampire...my own power has inevitably been weakened."**_

Kuyou laughed in response. "DIE!"

...

**[Bearer: Tsukune Aono. Race: Human(?) (Homo Sapiens)(?). Age: sixteen standard Earth rotations. Galaxy: Milky Way.]**

_Who is this?_

**[This unit has been tasked with the continued existence of all species in the universe.]**

He chuckled weakly. _Kinda late. Some animals here have been extinct for years._

**[Correction: this unit has been tasked with the continued existence of all intelligent life in the universe.]**

Tsukune didn't know what to say to that.

**[Progress: Eighty Percent...]**

...

"Weak! As if you weren't even a monster! This is because you've gotten drunk playing friends with that human! You'd best burn in my flames and repent for your stupidity!"

The words were only a precursor to the buildup of foxfire Kuyou had growing in the hold of his tails, and there was no doubt what would happen if it hit any one of them.

Kurumu screamed Moka's name in fear as she clutched her destined one to her chest.

And all of a sudden the area was bathed in red light.

...

The pain was excruciating; it felt like he was being broken down to his very base components and _rearranged_.

**[Correct. Bearer DNA reconfigured by outside stimulus. This unit accepted the reconfiguration under Survival protocols. Saved changes in progress.]**

_It hurts..._

**[Nerve damage extensive. Unknown donor code currently performing restoration beyond this unit's ability to comprehend. Discomfort derived from numb nerves returning online.]**

A flash of insight widened his eyes. _Youki..._

**[Searching database...no results found. Expanded search necessary. Hypothesis: energy source?]** It paused, then said, **[Progress: Ninety-Five Percent...unit identity nullified, bearer knowledge accepted into database. Original hypothesis correct. Youki: innate energy characteristic in species Youkai (see: supernatural, demon, monster). Originated: Makai(?) Conjecture: possible relation to first known forms of alien life(?) Additional information necessary, procure when available.]**

Tsukune mentally jerked at the comments. _So you're really in my head?_

**[Correction: unit no longer exists. Bearer bond ninety-nine percent complete. The one you call 'me' is now an extension of 'you'.]**

_Am...am I going to live?_

**[Survival top priority. Will resume operations as normal in T-minus five...]**

_What does this mean for me?_

**[Together, base function involves introduction of DNA from samples in database, resulting in transformation to sample form and all abilities and weaknesses therein.]**

_Wait! So you're saying because you're with me I can become something else?_

**[Progress: One Hundred Percent. Installation Complete. Addendum: no, because 'we' are one 'you' can become any species held in the database. Separation no longer possible under Survival protocols.**

**[Welcome Tsukune Aono, to the Archived R****etrotransposon Key, or ARK, codenamed: Omnitrix.]**

_Just a minute here! You mean I can transform now?_

**[Oversimplified, but yes.]**

_You mean I can protect my friends from Kuyou?_

**[Omnitrix functions fully online. –ERROR- Failsafes purged in Youki surge, override enabled under Security protocols. Warning: data corruption under initial Youki influence might result in transformations unknown to core programming, but central nucleus is still intact. No samples compromised. The ARK is yours to command.]**

_What are my choices?_ Now he was honestly curious.

**[A pure sample was not scanned from latest infusion, marking the ARK database unchanged at one million nine hundred and nine.]**

Even in his own mind, Tsukune was stunned into speechlessness.

**[Have you reached a decision?]**

In the dark of his unconsciousness, the teen smiled.

**[Understood. Proceed? YES/NO?]**

It was time to show Kuyou that even a human could be a hero for the sake of _fickle_ friendship.

...

When the red light faded, not even Moka knew how to respond.

It was unlike anything he had ever felt. It was strange, it was familiar, it was him and yet it was not. He could feel his body adapting to the—quite literally—alien DNA, and yet it didn't feel like he had truly changed. Looking at his hands, he could see the shape of his body hadn't changed at all, but the _structure_ certainly had.

**[Pyronite: ****magma-based life-forms that live on a sun rather than a normal planet, enabling them to control fire at will, either projecting it in a wide range of forms or absorbing it into themselves. Their dependency on heat is also their weakness, as their powers can be negated by sufficient amounts of water or similar fire-extinguishing materials and large amounts of water can extinguish them permanently. Be warned, they are also unable to lower their own body temperature, which prevents them from touching things without burning them, people included.]**

Tsukune almost laughed out loud. _Heatblast. Perfect._

The others were staring at the abnormality before them. Moments earlier Tsukune was a blackened husk bleeding puss from inflamed wounds, now he stood in a blaze of glory. Skin had been replaced by red-hot volcanic rock, heated eternally by the liquid fire pulsing between the cracks along its surface, and making up the entirety of his hands and feet. Eyes once a gentle brown had been absorbed by the fire, leaving only eerie light gazing out from rocky eye sockets, and his hair was naught by threads of flame somehow emulating the dark chocolate locks they had overtaken.

**[Transformation complete, but irregular compared to results of prototype tests. The Youkai DNA established partial dominance upon entering our genetic structure, yet does not fight the ARK introduction. It would seem all further transformations will alter your base makeup, and possibly size, but not the shape of your physical form. Further testing is required to verify.]**

Orange light emanated from his empty lips as he chuckled. Oh there would _definitely_ be further testing.

Kuyou was simply in shock; he could _feel_ the heat from where he was, and he controlled supernatural foxfire! There should be no way fire of _any_ kind could affect him! "Wh-What's this? Why is this happening...why are you...THIS IS CRAZY! HE SHOULD BE DEAD! WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU?"

The living inferno just looked back calmly.

"Oh...I see..." It was such a simple explanation, such an _obvious_ explanation, and the head officer cursed himself. "So you weren't a human! Damn, Ishigami tricked me!"

Moka wasn't about to let such an opportunity go. Hugging the narcissistic Youko around the waist from behind, she put what was left of her impressive strength into rendering him immobile. If she happened to squeeze the life out of him in the meantime, all the better. _**"...Out of giving my blood to revive Tsukune...this is the third problem!"**_

_**Even I can't be sure what transformations will take place due to the vampire blood flowing inside his body...**_ Seeing him then, the thought sent a chill through her. She had expected something, but nothing quite like that. What he had become was entirely unanticipated.

"Damn!" Kuyou cursed as he struggled to breathe. _What have I done? I let my guard down when watching Tsukune! _His assailant tightened her hold, and Kuyou was forced to scream in agony as his organs were compressed and blood shot from his mouth. However many he wasn't sure, but at least two ribs had succumbed to the pressure. _How can she still be so strong?_

_**"Now Tsukune! Face me and come attack!"**_ In the corridors of her own heart however, she said something very different. _**Come Tsukune, lend me your strength...**_

She had never needed him as much as she did in that moment, and she was willing to admit that to herself. Sweat beaded on her brow as the muscular Youkai started struggling harder, and it was all she could do to keep him in place. Any longer and even that would become impossible.

"Don't underestimate me!" the enraged student police head shouted. "DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT THE LIKES OF KUYOU?"

Evidently Tsukune thought he could, because he chose that moment to attack.

In a burst of flame the alien rocketed forward, and delivered such a fierce uppercut to the restrained monster that he was blasted right from Moka's grip and left all the spectators slack-jawed. Not content to leave it at that, another propulsion of fire lifted him a clean ten feet off the ground, almost to the ceiling of the structure itself, and when he pointed his hands at Kuyou's falling form, a rain of what seemed like hellfire itself shot him down into a crater of his own making. The Pyronite landed with only a minor stumble, and his craggy cheeks upturned into what could only be a smile.

"Play with fire, you get burned." He deserved a taste of his own medicine in Tsukune's humble opinion.

"N-No way..." came Gin's disbelieving comment from the side.

The teen couldn't help but smile wider. His friends were all safe. They were alive! If the others didn't know any better they would have thought the fiery form was _crying_, but the magma leaking from his sockets couldn't be tears, could they?

Of course, that was when everything caught up with him, and a soft red glow shrouded his body as he returned to normal and fell forward in a dead faint, which was more than enough reason for Kurumu to rush to his side.

"Tsukune!" she cried worriedly, but to her relief his previous wounds had totally healed, all but his clothing, much to her embarrassment—and secret delight. Sadly enough remained to still cover his modesty, but little else.

_**"Do not worry, he should be—"**_ Moka's own words caught frozen in her throat when she saw him. It wasn't his physique that caught her eye, as an only mildly athletic teenage boy he wasn't all that much to look at yet after all, but what did gain her attention was the very prominent strands of silver peppering his dark hair. She almost had a nervous breakdown right then and there, and practically teleported to where he lay in the succubus' arms. Sure enough, when she raised one of his closed eyelids they weren't their regular honey brown anymore, but rather flecks of red had interposed themselves throughout the irises.

She didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry, but she did cast a haughty glare back at the cataleptic Kuyou. _**"Well? You don't have a problem with Tsukune being a student at this school anymore, now do you?"**_

And as she carried Tsukune from the building meant to be their tomb, she knew that that was all her fault.

No one had noticed the new watch he was sporting, or what it meant for their next adventures.

A new hero had been born, they just didn't know it yet.

...

**Author's Notes**: To quote Niner Deamon's PM to me exactly,

_"__By the looks of it your muses have been involved a ten car pileup and you've been left using the jaws-of-life to pry whatever life remains out of the scattered wreckage. Perhaps if you worked on a different angle? Has one of your muses decided to highjack a helicopter, skip right over the block and is currently going to town on the far off horizon without covering any of the ground in between? Perhaps you should let up your recovery efforts and go chase that one down, if only to get your motivation back._

_Or re-read some of your favourite parts of the manga, or watch some Rosario Vampire AMV's on youtube. Maybe a sounding board is what you need to sort out your ideas in your head. Hell write a fifty-sentence challenge and get so frustrated on how you're going to use "potato" in a meaningful sentence that your current difficulties seem minor in comparison_

_Whatever you need to do to get back in the saddle. I'm really looking forward to more of "Here In Your Arms"_

I laughed so hard when I read that, because honestly that's almost exactly what's happened. I've practically gotten the whole last two chapters of the story written out in my head. I know exactly where I'm going, I just need to fill in all the important stuff to get there. I'm currently on page sixteen of the next chapter of Here In My Arms, and the only reason I'm saying that is because I know most of the people that read this one are only doing it because they hoped it was that. I know where I'm going, now I just need to get there. Thankfully my muse seems to finally be back, so with any luck I'll have it out...sometime soon. I hope.

Well ND, here's my take on a fifty-sentence challenge involving 'potato'...only...no potato.

I've noticed a few authors have an "Odd Ideas"—or something along those lines—story, so I don't know if I'll continue this after I'm done HIMA. I guess it depends on the response. I just needed something to do so I spent the day doing this. Didn't turn out all that bad if I say so myself.

Yes, I've deviated quite a bit from the Ben 10 canon, but I simply can't stand how if Ben is the _default_ DNA it can still somehow be removed. No removal should be possible. And don't even get me started on the newer seasons, ugh! The first two seasons of Alien Force were great, but I've basically totally removed season three from my memory. That means NO Primus or other crap like that, just in case you're wondering.

Oh, and though Tsukune's transformations keep his general shape, Heatblast isn't anatomically correct, just like in the show. The ones that look like they're wearing clothes will still be wearing clothes though.

Well, thanks for reading this random idea! I'll have to come back to it sometime!

And hey, if you'll drop me a review, that'd be great too!


End file.
